Nikon presents its DX-format compact camera
Nikon has unveiled the Coolpix A, its first compact camera to sport a DX-format sensor sourced from the popular D7000
Author: Olivier Laurent
05 Mar 2013 Tags: Nikon
Presented for the first time at an exclusive press briefing at the Focus-on-Imaging trade show in Birmingham, UK, the Coolpix A uses a DX-format 16.2-megapixel CMOS sensor, as well as the Expeed 2 image processing engine and a fixed Nikkor wide-angle 18.5mm f/2.8 lens, equivalent to 28mm in the 35mm format.
Speaking to selected press representatives, James Loader, product manager for consumer products at Nikon UK, explained that the camera had been designed with street photographers in mind.
The wide-angle lens, for example, uses a seven-blade rounded iris diaphragm to reduce light where necessary and to "give beatifully natural background blur," says Nikon. And similarly to recent digital SLR models, Nikon has also removed the sensor's low-pass filter to increase the definition and resolution of shot images.
The Coolpix A has a sensitivity range of ISO 100 to ISO 6400, extendable to ISO 25,600, a burst rate of 4fps, two user modes that can be customised, a programmable function button, and a lens focusing ring to enable manual focus.
The new camera, which will be released on 21 March, supports 14 bits compressed raw image data, and its images can be edited in-camera using the three-inch LCD monitor.
While the camera lacks an electronic viewfinder, Nikon has also announced that it will release an optional optical viewfinder.
The Coolpix A, which can be seen from today at the Focus-on-Imaging trade show, will retail at £1000.
For more details, visit www.nikon.co.uk.
Comments
How Nikon and Sony arrive at the pricing they do for their top compacts is baffling. We have already seen the emergence of the RX-1 at £2.2K.
Their lenses are not interchangeable. They have no viewfinders supplied with them.
They are outclassed by dozens of better machines (write your own list) so is this snobbery again? There is no possibility that they can replace a viewfinder equipped machine like the Leica or the Fujis, and I am unable to "get" the point of their existence. Sorry.
How Nikon and Sony arrive at the pricing they do for their top compacts is baffling. We have already seen the emergence of the RX-1 at £2.2K.
Their lenses are not interchangeable. They have no viewfinders supplied with them.
They are outclassed by dozens of better machines (write your own list) so is this snobbery again? There is no possibility that they can replace a viewfinder equipped machine like the Leica or the Fujis, and I am unable to "get" the point of their existence. Sorry.
Nikon A image quility is excellent
Many of us not know but Nikon A is using D7000 sensor and no optical low pass filter, so at the end you get super sharp images even at 100%,
Take a look at the samples below
http://thenewcamera.com/nikon-a-sample-images/
My eyes, oh, my eyes
Did a blind, one handed robot take up a design career at Nikon?
Hideous
(See Fuji x100s for how to attract new customers)
Not that looks 'should' matter, so another point - only 2.8 for a FIXED lens compact at a ridiculous £1000 Find someone to manufacture sensors more cheaply!
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